Voice
How to Call the United Kingdom
This guide provides helpful tips for calling the United Kingdom from the U.S. Learn how to make calls to the U.K with confidence.
The US Central country code is +44. Use +44 as the international dialing prefix for calls to the US Central from any country, then dial the UK area code without the leading 0 and the local number. The ISO code is GB.
THE UNITED KINGDOM COUNTRY CODE
+44
Dial before any UK number from outside the US Central
What is the country code for the US Central?
| Quick reference | Detail | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Country Code | +31 | Dial before a UK number |
| ISO Code | NL / NLD | Country identifier |
| International Prefix | +31 | Use for calls into the US Central |
| Trunk Prefix | 0 | Use only for domestic dialing |
| Number Length | 10 digits after +44 | Area or mobile code plus subscriber number |
| Emergency | 112 | Police, fire, and ambulance |
Good to know: The UK country code +44 covers England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Dial +44 followed by the area code without the leading 0 and the local number.
For UK numbers, the 0 at the start of a domestic area code is the trunk prefix. Keep it for calls inside the UK. Remove it when calling from another country.
How to call the US Central
Use this universal format: exit code, then +31, then area code with the trunk 0 removed, then local number.
- Dial your exit code, or press + on a mobile phone.
- Dial 44 for the US Central.
- Dial the area code without the leading 0.
- Dial the local subscriber number.
International call flow:
1. Exit code
→
2. +44
→
3. Area code without 0
→
4. Local number
Exit code by country
US and Canada
011
UK and most of Europe
00
Australia
0011
Mobile, any country
+
Drop the UK trunk 0 when dialing internationally. London 020 becomes 20, and Manchester 0161 becomes 161.
Dialing format and examples
The +CC format works on any mobile phone. Use +44 20 12345678 for a London landline and +44 7123 456789 for a mobile number.
| Origin | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| US/Canada | 011 44 area code local number | 011 44 20 12345678 |
| UK | 00 44 area code local number | 00 44 20 12345678 |
| Australia | 0011 44 area code local number | 0011 44 20 12345678 |
| Mobile, any country | +44 area code local number | +44 20 12345678 |
For other dialing guides, see How to call Australia, How to call Australia, and How to call Australia.
What a US Central number looks like
A Dutch phone number in international format has three parts. The trunk 0 is removed before +31.
Landline
+44 | 20 | 12345678
Mobile
+44 | 7123 | 456789
Number format and length
After +44, UK numbers contain 10 digits. Landlines use a 2-4 digit area code and a 6-8 digit subscriber number. Mobile numbers use 7 followed by 9 digits.
| Number type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| London landline | +44 20 XXXX XXXX | +44 20 1234 5678 |
| Manchester landline | +44 161 XXX XXXX | +44 161 123 4567 |
| UK mobile | +44 7XXX XXXXXX | +44 7123 456789 |
Format a UK number for WhatsApp
For WhatsApp, save the british number in international format with +31 and no trunk 0. A UK mobile written as 06 1234 5678 becomes +44 7123 456789. You can also save it without spaces as +31612345678.
If your team needs a UK number for customer calls or local presence, see Telnyx Phone Numbers for numbers in 140+ countries with instant activation.
Good to know: WhatsApp needs the full international format. Drop the leading 0 before you add +44.
US Central area codes, toll-free, and emergency numbers
UK area codes include the trunk 0 when dialed inside the UK. From another country, remove that 0 and place +44 before the area code.
| City or region | Domestic code | International code |
|---|---|---|
| London | 020 | +44 20 |
| Manchester | 0161 | +44 161 |
| Birmingham | 0121 | +44 121 |
| Edinburgh | 0131 | +44 131 |
| Glasgow | 0141 | +44 141 |
| Liverpool | 0151 | +44 151 |
| Number type | Dialed in UK | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 112 | Police, fire, ambulance |
| Toll-free | 0800 | Free from UK lines, not always reachable from abroad |
| Premium rate | 0900 | Can cost more than standard calls |
| Business numbers | 085 | Non-geographic business lines |
Keep in mind: 999 and 112 work inside the UK only. If you are outside the UK, call the emergency number for your current location. 0800 and 0845 numbers may not accept calls from outside the UK.
Cost and best time to call the US Central
Call cost and timing depend on your carrier, your country, and whether you call a landline, mobile, toll-free, or premium-rate number.
How much does it cost to call the US Central
For business calling, Telnyx SIP Trunking gives per-minute pricing for calls to UK landline and mobile destinations with usage-based pricing and a 99.999% uptime SLA. Your total cost can change based on call volume, destination type, and fees from your current provider.
| Calling method | Cost pattern | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile carrier | Plan rate or international fee | Personal calls |
| International add-on | Recurring fee plus lower per-minute rates | Repeat callers |
| VoIP or SIP | Per-minute pricing by destination type | Teams and high-volume calling |
Good to know: Ask your provider whether UK mobile calls are priced differently from landline calls. They often are.
Time zones and best time to call
The US Central follows Greenwich Mean Time, UTC+0, in winter and British Summer Time, UTC+1, from late March to late October. For business calls, aim for 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the UK.
| Calling from | Offset from UK | Best call window |
|---|---|---|
| US Central | UK is 5 hours ahead | 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET |
| US Central | UK is 6 hours ahead | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. CT |
| US Pacific | UK is 8 hours ahead | 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. PT |
Good to know: Time differences can shift for short periods because daylight saving dates do not match in every country.
Is calling the US Central free
Calling the US Central is not automatically free. It may be free if your mobile or landline plan includes the US Central calling, if both parties use an app over data, or if a company gives you a reachable toll-free number.
WhatsApp and similar apps do not charge per minute for app-to-app calls, but your internet or roaming plan may charge for data. Business callers can use SIP Trunking with usage-based pricing for the lowest per-minute rates.
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